End-thrust bearing.



H. J. MITCHELL.

END THRUST BEARING.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 29, 1911.

1,092,160. Patented Apr. 7, 1914 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRISON J. MITCHELL, OF BELOIT, V/"ISCONSIN, ASSIGNOE TO THE BERLINMACHINE WORKS, OF BELOIT, \VISCONSIN, A CORPORATION CF WISCONSIN.

END-TI'IRUST BEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. *7, 1914.

Application filed November 29, 1911. Serial No. 663,012.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, TIARRISON J. Mrroirmm, acitizen of the United States, residing at Beloit, in the county of Rockand State of IVisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in End-Thrust Bearings, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to end thrust bearings, and refers particularly tosuch bearings which are adapted to be used in connection with a readilyremovable shaft or arbor. V

I am aware that end thrust bearings have been used to a large extent inthe past, but one great objection to them has been that if it is desiredto remove the shaft which is engaged by such bearings it has beennecessary to loosen the various connections, and it is only withdifliculty that the shaft is removed.

It is the object of my improved construction to provide a mechanism bymeans of which the proper end thrust is always secured on both ends of ashaft while at the same time one or both of the end bearings are of suchconstruction that they may easily and quickly be removed from the end orends of the shaft, and the latter may be withdrawn so that a new tool orthe like may be quickly placed thereon.

These and other advantages of my invention, and means for carrying outthe same, will be more readily understood by ref erence to theaccompanying drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of myimprovements, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough a shaft and its side and end bearings; Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section similar to Fig. 1, except that one of the endthrust bearings has been moved into inoperative position and the shaftlongitudinally moved, whereby a new tool may be placed thereon.

To the main framework 10 of the machine, which, in this embodiment of myinvent-ion is represented as a wood-working machine, are attached thebearing boxes 11 and 12, having therein the bearings 13 and 14, each ofwhich is provided with a sleeve or bushing 15. Extending through thebearings 13 and 14: is the shaft 16, one portion of which, 17 ispreferably of slightly smaller diameter than the rest of the shaft. Onthe shaft 16 may be mounted any suitable tool, as, for example, thecutter head 18, adapted to be used in connection with planers. On oneend of the shaft 16 is mounted the pulley 19 held in position by meansof the nut 20. A belt is connected with this pulley, and thereby servesto rotate the shaft 16 and the cutter head 18. Engaging the end 21 ofthe shaft 16 is the end thrust bearing 22, having therethrough the oilpassage 23. which, in turn, extends into the threaded bearing rod 24 andcommunicates with the annular chamber 25 connected with the oil cup 26.The threaded bearing rod 24 has the hand wheel 27, by means of which therod 24: is rotated, and thereby adjusts the end bearing 22 in the properposition.

Attached to the frame 10 is the stub shaft 28, having slidably mountedthereon the bracket 29, which may be securely held in adjusted positionby means of the bolt 30. The upper portion of the bracket 29 containsthe recess 31, within which operates the bearing rod 32. This bearingrod has the shoulder 33 engaged by the compression spring 34;, whichnormally tends to move the bearing rod to the right, according to therepresentation shown in Fig. 1. The bear ing member 35 is held by theend of the bearing rod 32 and engages the end 36 of the shaft 16.Extending through the hearing member 35 and the bearing rod 32 is theoil passage 37 communicating with the oil cup 38.

Having thus described the construction of the parts used in myinvent-ion, its operation may now be readily understood: When the partsare in the position indicated in Fig. 1, the end 21 of the shaft 16engages the bearing member 22, which is lubricated by means of oilflowing from the cup 26. The opposite end 36 of the shaft 16 isresiliently engaged by the bearing member 35, and the end 21 of theshaft 16 is thereby always held in connection with the bearing surfaceof the bearing member 22. If it is desired to move the shaft 16 eitherto the right or left, the threaded bearing rod 2 is rotated in theappropriate direction, and the bearing member 22 is correspondinglymoved, thereby moving the shaft 16. At the same time the bearing member35 on account of its resilient mounting conforms to the movement of theshaft 16. As wear occurs on the hearing members 22 and 35 the spring 34tends to always maintain these bearing members in engagement with theends of the shaft. When it is desired to remove the shaft 16 the bolt 30is loosened, the bracket 29- is moved slightly to the left, and thenturned downwardly on the stub shaft 28 into the position indicated inFig. 2. The shaft 16 may then be bodily moved to the left, also asindicated in Fig. 2, and the cutter'head 18, or other similar tool, maybe quickly and easily withdrawn fro-m the shaft and a new tool placed inposit-ion. The shaft 16 may then be returned to the position indicatedin Fig. 1, the bracket 29 is turned into its upright position, coming incontact with the lug 39, and the bearing member 35 is brought intoengagement With the end 36 of the shaft 16; The tension of the spring34: may, of course, be regulated as desired by longitudinal ad justmentof the bracket 29.

It will be apparent to those skilledin the art that many changes couldbe made in the detailed construction of the parts which I have describedwithout departing from either the spirit or scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotaryshaft, an end thrust bearing for said shaft, and a support for saidbearing adjustable longitudinallyof said shaft and mounted for movementlaterally thereof to withdraw. the thrust bearing from the end of theshaft and permit the removal of the latter, substantially as de-.scribed.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotaryshaft, an end thrust bearing for said shaft, and a support for saidbearing adjustable longitudinally of said shaft and rotatably mountedeccentrically of said shaft for movement laterally thereof to withdrawthe thrust bearing fro-m the end of the shaft and permit the removal ofthe latter, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the. character described, the combination of ashaft,an end-thrust bearing for said shaft, and a longitudinally and laterallyadjustable bracket supporting the bearing, said longitudinal adjustmentpermitting said shaft tobe moved longitudinally and the lateraladjustment permitting said bearing to be moved out of line-with adaptedto hold said bearing in engagement with said shaft, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a shaft, an end-thrust bearing for said shaft, alongitudinally adjustable and rotatably mounted bracketsup porting saidbearing, resilient means adapted to hold said bearing in engagement withsaid shaft, and means for supplying a lubrieating substance to thebearing face of said bearing, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shaft,an end thrust bearing for said shaft, and a longitudinally slidablebracket supporting said bearing, said bracket being adapted to be movedlaterally to permit the Withdrawal of said shaft, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shaft, afixed bearing for said shaft, an end thrust bearing adapted to bearagainst the end only of said shaft, and a longitudinally and laterallyadjustable bracket supporting said end thrust bearing, substantially asdescribed.

HARRISON J. MITCHELL. Witnesses:

HENRY M. HUXLEY,

L. E. I-IANNEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. G.

